For whatever building #93 ends up in, donations to our Trolley Fund with the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation will go to #93's upkeep and preservation. For those wanting to donate in celebration of the 100 year mark, it is very much appreciated! BUT, there is another donation opportunity more toward an advertising option, as illustrated by the following images. The first one shows #93 at its iconic turnaround loop at the corner of Willard Street and Willow, Jamestown, New York. Looking closely inside the car, you can see the typical advertisng signs that were used above the seats on trolley cars and later on they were used on buses.
The idea is to offer the poster advertising space on the trolley for a donation to the trolley preservation fund. Thinking first that a $500 donation, but deciding that a $300 donation will get a poster spot that will be used in the car up to and including the first year that the car "moves in" to its new home. After that, we may try to keep things interesting by rotating out some to make room for new arrivals.
Donors will have to design and provide the poster measuring 11" x 20". Our sample poster advertising Swell Blend Coffee was made by sending a digital image off to an image processing/printing company that provides access to their design software allowing them to make a properly sized print of the submitted image file. Perhaps there is a local printer who might consider jumping in with their own advertising poster and helping others prepare one of their own. Also, while it would be nice if the art work mimics the style of the period, (see below for more original examples), we hope to allow for reasonable design flexibility.
I like this idea because it works out that two of some of my favorite things can be used to illustrate it. I wrote a book on Early Chautauqua County Beer Brewing and Bottling, (always available for purchase by emailing me at park2@netsync.net). The poster in the trolley advertises 400 Beverages. That was a product of the early Jamestown Brewing Company mentioned in the book. Also, one of my earliest history interests was Chautauqua Lake Steamboats. The images below show an original trolley advertising poster for Swell Blend Coffee (before and after being digitally repaired) that used a Chautauqua Lake steamboat in their advertising.
The following two images show how the Swell Blend poster looks when mounted in the trolley.
Images below show a few more examples of some of the trolley posters from back in the day. So far, all of those that have been found have been extremely brittle and break apart fairly easily. The Swell Blend poster had pieces missing, but enough was there so it could be digitally repaired. Note: The Swell Blend, along with the Ideal Peerless Laundry, Bank and Restaurant posters below, came to us through the efforts of antique dealers Tom Karapantso and Peter Jablonski.
Images below show a few more examples of some of the trolley posters from back in the day. This group of posters was recovered during a home remodeling project. The interior walls were taken down to the studs revealing the posters over the spaces between the exterior sheathing boards to keep out the elements.
Below is an example of what the Jamestown Street Railway may have used back in the day. Advertisers can come up with their own design. Posters have to measure 11" x 20".
